Jaguar (Painter Place Saga, #3)

“Aqui no pasa nada,” the Jaguar replied as a common way of saying nothing was happening. Cautiously, the armed men stalked around the cart, sizing up the Panther and Puma, while the driver and the Jaguar carried on a casual conversation about the challenges of traveling in the mud.

Other than a startled blink, the Jaguar hoped he gave nothing away when the Princess walked over to him. The armed guards raised their weapons. In response, the Panther and Puma acted as one to level a dead aim at the men’s heads.

But she charmed them all with an exaggerated Southern accent, complaining about the conditions of her journey.  Seemingly oblivious to the silent standoff, the Princess set her hands on the hips of her borrowed, baggy green camouflage trousers in her sassiest pose. “You don’t know how lucky you are to have a jeep! I’m ready to shoot this goat and have him for dinner tonight. We’d be faster if we hitched my husband to this stupid old cart.”

With a bemused expression, the driver told the Jaguar in Spanish that though his English wasn’t good, it sounded like his wife called him a goat. The Jaguar’s hearty laugh was genuine, and he translated to correct the misunderstanding. Pretending to let the guy in on a joke at her expense, he said in Spanish that she couldn’t toast bread, let alone cook a goat.

He made a low growl in his throat and reached out to pull her into him, kissing the long column of her bare neck and playfully pretending to bite it. The Princess clucked with a shake of her head and pushed half-heartedly at him, addressing the other man when she said her husband even acted like a goat, always nibbling at her.

With a raucous laugh, the driver muttered, “American!” He told the Jaguar that men in his country knew how to deal with cheeky women, and he deserved what she dished out if he didn’t beat her now and then. With a gesture to the armed men, they lowered their weapons and tramped in muddy boots toward the jeep.

Tires spattered more of the soggy path onto the poor goat and the cart as the vehicle crept past down the trail. The Jaguar didn’t let the Princess go when she tried to step back. He trapped her eyes with an intensity that made her wait on his murmur. “Don’t pull away until they’re out of sight. You were amazing, by the way.”

“Thank you. Was that the dangerous kiss you warned me about? Maybe the goat will come in handy for you to get some practice.”